Own Your Style! (Or How to Spend Less Money On Clothes)

Background

When I was in my early 20s and working in the US, one of my weekend habits was to go in the local Forever 21 and DSW (Discount Shoe Warehouse) with the tourists and just browse and browse and browse. And of course buy.

I would leave with a big yellow plastic bag stuffed with clothes I would use once or twice, at least 1 box of shoes, feel guilty for spending the money, stop shopping for awhile, and repeat the cycle.

Problem

Then one day it hit me: why am I always buying clothes and shoes anyway? It’s not like I need them. It’s not like I’m a fashion plate. I realized that I used the same coat to work over and over and only used 3 pairs of shoes on rotation.

The reason I kept buying was I wasn’t satisfied with what I had. Why?

I didn’t know what I wanted. Was I a preppy bohemian? Sporty? A flower child? A confused creative?

My closet was such a mess I didn’t know what was inside it! I had multiple items of the same clothing because I didn’t realize that I had already bought it.

I wore ill fitting clothes or shoes which would “force” me to buy new ones just to get rid of what I am wearing. This happened a lot with pants (hello muffin top!) and shoes (teeter much?)

I didn’t want to miss out on a “good” deal. Buying multiple items of clothing just because it says get 4 for the price of 3, doesn’t mean you need to get it. Remember, you are saving more if your are not buying.

Solution:

First know and then own your style.

Knowing and owning your style early will save you a lot of money.

How? You won’t fall for ridiculous trends, get tempted to buy that one more thing (because it’s on sale), and you will feel confident in your clothes because you chose them with intention.

I finally found my style at the age of 33…feminine minimalist. What is feminine minimalist? 90% solid colors of black, grey, white, navy, and with a smattering of millennial pink and prints, in structured cuts and some with soft silhouette.

Being able to move, walk, and sit comfortably in your clothes and shoes should be non-negotiables. Besides, you can’t be in a good mood if your feet hurt and can’t breath because you are wearing something that is super tight, or are always pulling on your clothes because it doesn’t provide enough coverage.